Real on the back foot ahead of City clash

The Champions League returns to the spotlight tonight as Real Madrid, one of the most decorated clubs in the competition, take on English champions Manchester City, whose vast spending power has fast-tracked them to European heavyweight status.

The Group D match between the champions of the two strongest leagues on the continent needed no extra billing, but Real manager Jose Mourinho has already raised the stakes by saying "money cannot buy trophies or history".

While Real have won the title nine times to City's none, Roberto Mancini's City will not travel to the Bernabeau with any inferiority complex, even though the club's first foray into the continent's blue riband event did not go to plan last season when they failed to survive the group phase.

Real's terrible start to the new domestic season - which has seen them lose two of their opening four games and languishing down in 13th position - will also boost City's self-belief.

The usual round of summer transfer activity has rearranged the furniture at some of Europe's leading clubs, but many of the usual suspects will be out in force as the 32 teams who have qualified for the competition kick off this week.

Real Madrid are already eight points behind Barca in La Liga after defeat by Sevilla on Saturday, a loss which has set the alarm bells ringing in the Spanish capital.

"My players' heads are not focused. For many of them football is not a priority," Mourinho said.

"But I am the coach and if there are heads that are not focused, it is my fault."

He will hope that the visit of City will get their minds back on the job, particularly that of Cristiano Ronaldo, who regularly tormented City while playing for Manchester United.

Real have never lost their opening home game in European Cup or Champions League, racking up 40 wins and two draws, and with the group also containing Borussia Dortmund and Ajax Amsterdam, they will want to put down an early marker.

After two consecutive Champions League semi-final defeats with Real Madrid, Mourinho played down any pressure he was feeling to return the famous piece of silverware to the club's bulging trophy cabinet for a 10th time.

"This [City] is a team being created to lift the Champions League. That's their aim," Mourinho told The Sun in the build-up to the clash.

"If a third [title] comes for me and a 10th title comes for Real Madrid this season - amazing.

"We will accept it all with a smile. But there is no pressure on us. There is no obsession to win it here."

French champions Montpellier are one of two teams making their debut in the competition, and they begin their Group B campaign at home to Arsenal, one of the competition's permanent fixtures.

The harsh economics of football will come into sharp focus for Montpellier as they come face to face with former striker Olivier Giroud - tempted away from France by the riches of the Premier League during the summer.

It could be a tough baptism for Montpellier, who have started the French season with something of a hangover, while Arsenal have hit form, thrashing Southampton 6-1 on Saturday.